Another Aussie (Well Tasmanian anyway, but close.)

Hello members,

Will be visiting Thailand (Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui and Karon Beach) for the first time in mid January to early February 2018

I have read many fascinating and entertaining threads on this forum, from a diverse group of people.
Some make my eyes water, most make me look forward to discovering what many on here believe to be the best place to live.

We, my wife and I, are getting to the stage where we want to have a few good years of relaxation and enjoy a lifestyle whilst still active that many of you on here already have.

Our trip is one of exploration with the aim of moving from Australia to join you lot living the Thai dream.
Thanks for all your posts.

Welcome Kermit. Has Tassie seceded yet .... about time it does so before the big island becomes another state of the USA.

You'll enjoy Thailand's diversity. Being a kiwi and a boatie I initially lived in Kamala on Phuket. I'd never lived inland but when we married I agreed to check out Chiang Mai's lifestyle, renting at first, then building our own home ... almost 5 years ago now. The quality of life, fresh food availability and lack of seasonal traffic suits us here and we enjoy living in a large heavily wooded estate just 10 minutes from the city centre.

BM (board member) Retdent will no doubt welcome you as a fellow Taswegian also living here.

G'day Kermit, Tassie has got to be the best place to live in the world ever. The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence

Thanks for the reply. Tasmania is a good place, clean air, water etc but like the rest of Australia the cost of living is becoming a burden.
The cost of electricity is so out of control some people can't afford to pay their bills and have had their supply cut.

Bills of $1200-$2000 per quarter are not unheard of.

Our selfless governments have sold what was once public utility assets off, or in the case of Tasmania, demanded from Hydro, Transend and Aurora that they are to be run as a profit making business and set the revenue to be paid to the State Government at a rate that makes power in Australia the most expensive in the world.

Victorian government has sold the port of Melbourne to private enterprise, Chinese I think, and now the cost of freight from/to Melbourne/Hobart has tripled making the 500 kilometre ocean trip the most expensive sea lane in the world.

The port of Darwin has also been sold to Chinese investors, costs there are going through the roof.

Banks are out of control with fees and charges. The big four banks here have the highest profits of any banks in the world based on population and client base. Commonwealth Bank profits this year on target to exceed AU$11 BILLION. And we used to own it before it was sold off.

Private health insurance companies have been allowed to raise their annual premiums at three times the rate of inflation to a level now where it is unafordable by all but the very wealthy. However if you don't have private health insurance cover you are penalised by the Australian Tax Office.

In 2015 BUPA International made 40% of its profits from Australia, with only 20% of their members.

The "Australia Tax" is everywhere, e.g. Just purchased a book, Linux Bible from US. Price AU$26.00 including freight.
Same book here AU$59.49. Even the digital version without any costs to print or pack and send, AU$36.00

About three years ago we renovated our kitchen and got prices on Miele appliances from Australian retailers. Cheapest was AU$24,000.
So we purchased the exact same models from UK, imported them through a shipping company, paid import duties, GST and $1500 freight Melbourne to Hobart, ($312 from UK to Melbourne, see above) and landed the lot at our front doorstep for $9100 all paid.

I could go on but it all adds up to what was once the lucky country is now run by a wealthy few for themselves and they are screwing the little guy.

Retirement age is now 67 and is mooted to go to 70.

Pensions have been cut, hospital waiting lists exceed 5 years for a hip replacement, if you test positive to a bowel cancer test a colonoscopy to find the source and to try and save your life takes, on average, 2 years in the public health system.

The above is not a winge, just pointing out some reasons why we are looking for a less stressful and less expensive alternative to what we currently experience coming up to retirement age.

^ Similar reasons why I was happy to move from Gold Coast to LOS and that was before electricity prices skyrocketed. Almost every Expat I know who is settled here in Chiang Mai, and I mainly mix with NZ/Aus/UK ... have done so for mainly the same reasons.

Interestingly, here we pay only 7% VAT on shop purchases, no council rates, no government fees (other than upon transfer of property), and our utility bills for estate rubbish collection/security/maintenance, water supply and electricity in high use months, seldom reaches A$65 pcm.

Will be visiting Thailand (Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui and Karon Beach) for the first time in mid January to early February 2018

I have read many fascinating and entertaining threads on this forum, from a diverse group of people.
Some make my eyes water, most make me look forward to discovering what many on here believe to be the best place to live.

We, my wife and I, are getting to the stage where we want to have a few good years of relaxation and enjoy a lifestyle whilst still active that many of you on here already have.

Our trip is one of exploration with the aim of moving from Australia to join you lot living the Thai dream.
Thanks for all your posts.

Kermit

Whoever planned your trip hit 4 great spots!
I don't think you could have a better planned 1st trip

I guess it is like anywhere, picking a good location. The return we had on a residential investment property in Hobart CBD was 8.5%.

We did manage it ourselves so if with a property manager it would have been 7.9%.

Just sold it as a large 7 story (big for Hobart) university building is just about to be built just across the road and we thought the noise, dust and constant cement trucks with reversing sirens going might have caused angst with the tenants. The work is ongoing for two years.

That buy was very lucky for us as the people selling wanted a quick sale and we were just fortunate to be on the spot.

living part of the year in LOS and part back home is not a bad option as the rainy season and smoky season in the north can be a bit much year in year out i found.
the months Nov-Feb is the winter there and much more bearable and green.

I hope that you find heaps here on living in Thailand. I can relate to everything in your post about Tasmania; throw in politics and the cold weather and lack of a summer and you have the reasons that I chose retirement here near Chiang Mai. Fortunately, I return a few times a year to chase the trout and deer but that is all that I miss, but as each year passes I find less to draw me back.

You sound as if you are reasonably secure financially which is great. My recommendation is (1) to always have a plan B, (2) not needing to rely on foreign exchange to be above a certain level and have a good buffer zone if you do, (3) have adequate health insurance here in Thailand or a real ability to pay, or a real ability to accept your morbidity and mortality. If any pre-existing conditions to keep that in mind as you are unlikely to get cover here, and plan for that. (4) try and get some Thai language skills.

On vaccinations, as far as I am aware there are no specific needs. I however would recommend the basics including Tetanus and the Hepatitis ones .

Prior to permanently settling here, stay for a year and move around and reside in different areas, they are all different. Being a Tassie, you may like the hills, so the Northern Provinces are great for that; green and scenic. Hobart has great water views and you may miss that up north.